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| Introduction |
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Siping is located in the southwestern part of Jilin Province, in the middle of Songliao Plain and at the intersection of Jilin Province, Liaoning Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It covers an area of 14,323 sq km. The population of the city amounted to 3.39 million at the end of 2009.
Siping has a temperate, continental monsoon climate with plenty of rainfall and four distinct seasons. The average temperature is 4-6°C. The average annual precipitation reaches 750-850 mm, while the average annual sunshine totals to 2,500-2,700 hours.
Soil in Siping is fertile. Plain covers approximately 79% of the city’s lands. Four commodity grain bases in Jinlin Province, namely Gongzhuling City, Lishu County, Yitong Man Autonomous County, and Shuangliao City, are under the administration of Siping.
Transportation in Siping is very convenient. The Shanghai-Harbin Railway, the Beijing-Harbin Railway, the Beijing-Harbin Highway and the Changchun-Shenyang Expressway run through the city.
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| Economic Features |
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Siping realized GDP of RMB 78.9 billion in 2010, representing a rise of 15.4% year on year. The city's GDP ranked fourth after Changchun, the capital of Jilin Province, Jilin City, and Songyuan.
Primary industry generated value-added output of RMB 21.11 billion in 2010, accounting for 26.8% of the city's GDP. Siping's grain output amounted to 7.71 million tons, contributing more than 38.8% to the province's total.
In 2010, value-added output of secondary industry (industry and construction) amounted to RMB 33.8 billion and accounted for 42.8% of the city's total. The value-added industrial output generated by the industrial enterprises with designated size or above reached RMB 28.76 billion in 2010, up 25.9% year on year. Heavy and light industrial enterprises realized RMB 18.58 billion and RMB 10.18 billion, contributing 64.6% and 35.39% to the total, respectively.
Agricultural products processing, electricity and thermal power, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals are the pillar industries of Siping. The value-added industrial output of above pillars amounted to RMB 6.43 billion, RMB 1.43 billion, RMB 1.82 billion, and RMB 440 million, respectively. As a whole, they realized value-added industrial output of RMB 10.12 billion in 2009 and contributed 40.4% to the total generated by industrial enterprises with designated size or above.
Private economy is major contributor of the industrial sector. The value-added industrial output of the private economy amounted to RMB 17.67 billion, accounting for 70.6% of the industrial sector.
In 2010, the service sector generated value-added output of RMB 24 billion, contributing 30.4% to the city's GDP. Sales of consumer goods amounted to RMB 28.77 billion, up 18.8% year on year. Tourism is an important part of the city's service sector. During 2010, more than 1.23 million tourists visited the city, up 18% year on year, while tourism income totaled RMB 1.23 billion, representing a rise of 26% compared to the previous year.
The city's foreign trade amounted to US$272 million in 2010, representing a healthy increase of 85.7% compared to the previous year. Exports up 11.7% to US$68.02 million, while imports increased by 138.3% to US$203.98 million.
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| Cultural Highlights |
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Siping has profound history. As early as the Shang and Zhou Dynasties (approximately 2,000 years ago), there were people living in the city. The Yan Kingdom Ruins indicate that the Han People started moving into Northeast China during the Spring-and-Autumn Period (770-221 B.C.).
Ancient ethnic groups such as the Fuyu, the Gaojuli, the Qidan, the Nvzhen, the Mongols, the Man, and Koreans have left behind cultural artifacts including Hanzhou of the Liao Dynasty, Xinzhou of the Jin Dynasty, and the Yehe Tribe Cultural Artifacts of the Ming Dynasty.
Yehe Town in Siping is the hometown of two empresses of the Qing Dynasty, Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Longyu.
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| Tourist Attraction |
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Tourist attractions in Siping include Erlong (two dragon) Lake Scenery Area, Yehe Town, Siping Battle Memorial Hall, and Yitong Manchu Folk Museum.
In Siping, Manchu Hotpot, Roasted Pigeons, and Bacon Cake are popular dishes among local people.
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